Coalition names new president, VP

The Cass County Coalition of Chambers held their first meeting of 2014 at the city hall in Peculiar on Feb. 13.

Holly Stark, who was recently appointed vice president of the CCCC, presided over the meeting.

At the coalition's last meeting in Nov. 2013, it was announced that Belton Chamber President Kay Stanbarger had been appointed to serve as president of the CCCC. However, Stanbarger recently resigned from her position with the Belton chamber to take a job elsewhere in the county.

In November, former Raymore mayor Juan Alonzo had also been appointed as vice president of the CCCC. Due to Stanbarger’s resignation, Alonzo is now the acting president of the CCCC.

Also new for 2014 is the CCCC’s decision to only meet five times a year instead of monthly, as they had in the past.

Each of the five participating chambers, Belton, Raymore, Harrisonville, Peculiar and Pleasant Hill, will have the opportunity to host a luncheon in their community at one time throughout the year.

The next meeting will be hosted by the Harrisonville chamber at 11:45 a.m. Thursday, May 8. The luncheon will be held at the Branding Iron, 2027 N. Commercial, Harrisonville.

Chamber reports:

• Peculiar Chamber President Gary Mallory informed attendees about the upcoming joint Chamber luncheon with the cities of Belton and Raymore.

• The Raymore Chamber update was given by Cheri Turney, who announced that Raymore’s annual Royal’s baseball “Day at the K” will be Sunday, May 4.

Raymore will also host their monthly membership luncheon will be at 11:30 Tuesday, Feb. 25 at the Community Bank of Raymore. Lisa Petersen, postmaster of the Raymore Post Office, and Phil Parke of the Raymore-Peculiar Public School Foundation, will be the special guests.

• Belton Chamber member David Bowe updated the chamber’s progress in selecting a new executive director.

• Bob White announced that the Pleasant Hill Chamber is up to 182 members.

• Harrisonville Chamber President Obie Carl announced that they have purchased a building on the Harrisonville Square.

Carl also reported the chamber gained 19 new members in 2013.

City reports:

• Raymore Mayor Pete Kerckhoff reported that Minsky’s Pizza was scheduled to open Feb. 17, in the retail area next to Price Chopper. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 27

He also said Golden Corral is expected to hold their ribbon cutting celebration Thursday, March 13.

• Belton Mayor Jeff Davis invited the city’s Community and Economic Development Director Jay Leipzig to speak about the Markey Road construction and the city’s ongoing communication with Menards about opening a store.

Menards is still planning to open a store in Belton with an expected opening in 2015.

Leipzig also announced that a Grandview company, Carriage Works, is planning to relocate to Belton, bring 35 jobs to Cass County. The company is expected to start construction in May and will be located just north of the Family Cabin Restaurant.

• Harrisonville’s Economic Development Director Jim Clarke announced Love’s plans to build a truck stop along Interstate 49 and that preliminary plat approval has been given.

• Peculiar Mayor Ernie Jungmeyer gave an update in regard to the city’s continued efforts with the 211th Street interchange project.

The interchange is expected to be open to traffic in 2016.

Jungmeyer also announced that the city’s Downtown Peculiar Arts and Culture District and local Eagle Scouts are looking to put in a walking trail from the Fire Station to Broadway Street to make the city more conducive to walkers in the community.

• A representative from the city of Pleasant Hill was not present at the meeting.

County reports:

• Cass County Clerk Janet Burlingame gave an update about the upcoming April 8 election as her office is preparing ballots and is about to begin a canvassing effort across the county.

• Cass County Collector Pam Shipley made an update regarding a program Assessor Bob Huston is piloting in the county to allow residents to submit personal property assessment information.

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